Radio 4 Transcript Notes and Annotations - ‘“I don’t know… I don’t know…”’ Repetition. Anaphora.
Reaffirms her words / emphasises the fear or worry that
she feels not knowing what will happen in the near
The BBC is seen as unbiased but it has portrayed itself to be anti- future and what will happen to the people she knows.
Trump.
- ‘engaged in international warfare again’, warfare is the
Nick Robinson: engagement in or the activities involved in war or
- political correspondent, conflict. War imagery. Suggests the extent of danger
- long-term established with BBC that Trump is capable of putting the country in, suggests
- makes him trustworthy, the power or agency that Trump can hold if he continues
- audiences engage more with him to remain in his current position. The word ‘again’ can
causes audience to feel fearful for the future.
- Casual, informal, conversational language makes story
Nick Robinson opens conversation. reported seem more credible and realistic. Provides an
element of realism to the story so audiences can
“Good morning, it's 6:00 o'clock on the 7th of January, this is sympathise more and pity the people more knowing
Today with Martha Carney and Nick Robinson.” that these are real people.
Martha Carney: Nick Robinson speaking.
“The headlines this morning. The US Congress has defied a violent “The U.S. Congress has reconvened to certify Joe Biden’s victory in
attempt by President Trump supporters to overturn November's the Presidential Election. After hundreds of Donald Trump
election result. Clashes inside the Capitol building have left one supporters had earlier stormed the Capitol building, encouraged
woman dead. We hear from protesters, Republicans and by his unproven claims of electoral fraud. A female protester who
correspondents on the scene, and as Democrats described the was shot during the clashes later died. The Vice President Mike
incident as domestic terrorism, we will speak to the former Pence, whose chairing proceedings in the Senate, condemned the
director of the CIA.” violence.
Former Director of the CIA: - ‘unproven claims’ Trump has no evidence to support any
of his claims regarding the election being a fraud. This
“I never would have imagined this happening on American soil, makes him seem like the bad guy. It is possible that he is
and I certainly never ever would have thought that it would be a not as smart as one would think and that he simply
President of the United States who encouraged and incited this” made the claim due to impulsiveness in order to try and
secure his position.
- Repetition of ‘never’
- ‘condemned’ is something declared to be reprehensible,
- Emphasis on ‘ever’ wrong. Vice President Mike Pence shows that he does
not approve of what the rioters have done and the
- Choice of verbs to describe Trump’s actions. The fact violence and damage that they have caused, despite the
that he ‘encouraged’ and ‘incited’ the riot indicates to fact that he has been by Trump’s side for four years.
the audience that he enables his supporters to do so,
which therefore means that he also enabled the damage Mike Pence said:
to the buildings and the injuries and the death caused as
a result. “To those who wreak havoc in our capital today, you did not win.
Violence never wins. Freedom wins, and this is still the People’s
Martha Carney speaking: House. As we reconvene in this Chamber, the world will again
witness the resilience and strength of our democracy."
“So can President Trump remain in office? One former White
House advisor tells us that he's dangerous in his current position.” - ‘you did not win’ This use of direct address / personal
pronoun calls out the rioters’ poor behaviour and
- Rhetorical question: mentally engages the audience and terrible actions. Mike Pence is holding the rioters
causes them to think and ponder on what will happen to responsible for what they did even though they support
Trump. the same man and believe in the same things that will
make America a better country.
- ‘dangerous’ The specifically chosen adjective implies
that Trump is a threat to the White House and - ‘Violence never wins’. Short, snappy sentence that adds
everybody else, especially the innocent citizens who do weight onto Mike Pence’s words, making his speech
not deserve to be harmed at his or his people’s hands. more effective and impactful to the audience.
Former White House advisor: Nick Robinson speaking
“I don't know what Donald Trump will do tomorrow; I don’t know “Protesters broke into both debating chambers in the office of the
what he’ll do the next day. It would not surprise me if he engaged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. One occupied the Senate leaders
in international warfare again, or tip us into a complicit and left chair and yelled, “Trump won that election”. With their guns
President Biden holding the bag.” drawn, police moved the politicians to safety as they tried to clear
the building. More than 50 people were arrested. The Democrat
- Use of contractions: ‘don’t’, ‘he’ll’ leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, laid the blame squarely at
the feet of Donald Trump.”
Reaffirms her words / emphasises the fear or worry that
she feels not knowing what will happen in the near
The BBC is seen as unbiased but it has portrayed itself to be anti- future and what will happen to the people she knows.
Trump.
- ‘engaged in international warfare again’, warfare is the
Nick Robinson: engagement in or the activities involved in war or
- political correspondent, conflict. War imagery. Suggests the extent of danger
- long-term established with BBC that Trump is capable of putting the country in, suggests
- makes him trustworthy, the power or agency that Trump can hold if he continues
- audiences engage more with him to remain in his current position. The word ‘again’ can
causes audience to feel fearful for the future.
- Casual, informal, conversational language makes story
Nick Robinson opens conversation. reported seem more credible and realistic. Provides an
element of realism to the story so audiences can
“Good morning, it's 6:00 o'clock on the 7th of January, this is sympathise more and pity the people more knowing
Today with Martha Carney and Nick Robinson.” that these are real people.
Martha Carney: Nick Robinson speaking.
“The headlines this morning. The US Congress has defied a violent “The U.S. Congress has reconvened to certify Joe Biden’s victory in
attempt by President Trump supporters to overturn November's the Presidential Election. After hundreds of Donald Trump
election result. Clashes inside the Capitol building have left one supporters had earlier stormed the Capitol building, encouraged
woman dead. We hear from protesters, Republicans and by his unproven claims of electoral fraud. A female protester who
correspondents on the scene, and as Democrats described the was shot during the clashes later died. The Vice President Mike
incident as domestic terrorism, we will speak to the former Pence, whose chairing proceedings in the Senate, condemned the
director of the CIA.” violence.
Former Director of the CIA: - ‘unproven claims’ Trump has no evidence to support any
of his claims regarding the election being a fraud. This
“I never would have imagined this happening on American soil, makes him seem like the bad guy. It is possible that he is
and I certainly never ever would have thought that it would be a not as smart as one would think and that he simply
President of the United States who encouraged and incited this” made the claim due to impulsiveness in order to try and
secure his position.
- Repetition of ‘never’
- ‘condemned’ is something declared to be reprehensible,
- Emphasis on ‘ever’ wrong. Vice President Mike Pence shows that he does
not approve of what the rioters have done and the
- Choice of verbs to describe Trump’s actions. The fact violence and damage that they have caused, despite the
that he ‘encouraged’ and ‘incited’ the riot indicates to fact that he has been by Trump’s side for four years.
the audience that he enables his supporters to do so,
which therefore means that he also enabled the damage Mike Pence said:
to the buildings and the injuries and the death caused as
a result. “To those who wreak havoc in our capital today, you did not win.
Violence never wins. Freedom wins, and this is still the People’s
Martha Carney speaking: House. As we reconvene in this Chamber, the world will again
witness the resilience and strength of our democracy."
“So can President Trump remain in office? One former White
House advisor tells us that he's dangerous in his current position.” - ‘you did not win’ This use of direct address / personal
pronoun calls out the rioters’ poor behaviour and
- Rhetorical question: mentally engages the audience and terrible actions. Mike Pence is holding the rioters
causes them to think and ponder on what will happen to responsible for what they did even though they support
Trump. the same man and believe in the same things that will
make America a better country.
- ‘dangerous’ The specifically chosen adjective implies
that Trump is a threat to the White House and - ‘Violence never wins’. Short, snappy sentence that adds
everybody else, especially the innocent citizens who do weight onto Mike Pence’s words, making his speech
not deserve to be harmed at his or his people’s hands. more effective and impactful to the audience.
Former White House advisor: Nick Robinson speaking
“I don't know what Donald Trump will do tomorrow; I don’t know “Protesters broke into both debating chambers in the office of the
what he’ll do the next day. It would not surprise me if he engaged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. One occupied the Senate leaders
in international warfare again, or tip us into a complicit and left chair and yelled, “Trump won that election”. With their guns
President Biden holding the bag.” drawn, police moved the politicians to safety as they tried to clear
the building. More than 50 people were arrested. The Democrat
- Use of contractions: ‘don’t’, ‘he’ll’ leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, laid the blame squarely at
the feet of Donald Trump.”
